Although catalytic converters for relatively small engine applications are well known, federal regulations are only recently requiring reduction of harmful emissions from large internal combustion engines. Examples of such large engines include generator sets, ship engines, etc. Because of the large amount of emissions produced by such engines, a catalytic converter exhaust section must have a relatively large cross section in order to adequately treat exhaust gases without producing undesirable back pressure on the engine. Experience has shown that these engines require catalytic converter cross sections at least one foot in diameter, and sometimes a converter cross section exceeding three or more feet is required. Unfortunately, the current state of the art in both metallic and ceramic catalytic converter substrates limits their cross section to diameters of less than one foot. Consequently, catalytic converters for large engine applications must necessarily include a plurality of available catalytic converter substrates arranged in parallel in order to adequately treat exhaust flow without creating detrimental back pressure on the engine.
In addition to the problems normally encountered in catalytic converters for smaller engines, catalytic converters for relatively large engines naturally take on additional problems not previously encountered. For instance, it is generally desirable that catalytic converters for large engines be serviceable while remaining structurally sound in the extreme temperature and pressure environment of engine combustion exhaust. The present invention is directed to overcoming these problems.